1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to information processing systems, and more specifically to storage management systems and interfaces to such storage management systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional storage systems employ a database management system (dbms) for storing information in a database and for searching for and retrieving that stored information. Databases can be either hierarchical or relational, with relational databases often storing information in a plurality of database tables. Dbms's generally provide mechanisms for a user to interact with the database. For example, a database view is a static definition of specific portions of the database that are made visible to a user. For example, in a relational database having many tables, each of which is comprised of a plurality of rows and columns, a view of that database may be a predefined, static definition of only certain columns of certain tables of the database. Accordingly, when using that view of the database a user would only be given access to, or “see”, the portions of the database defined in a view. In order to view the database a user would have to execute a database query that returns results based on a specified view. Both constructing the database query and interpreting the results of the query returned according to the view can often be complicated and can be difficult tasks to be performed by users unfamiliar with database interfaces.
Another information storage system is a digital library as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,185 to Antognini et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. A digital library uses a database, file systems and other storage mechanisms, but also allows application programs, residing on a library client, to interact with the underlying digital library services and hence the underlying database, to store and retrieve information. However, the digital library application programs also require a computer end-user interface, requiring a user to use a computer monitor, keyboard and/or mouse to interact with the application program. Furthermore, the application programs require predetermined queries and views to locate and access data within the digital library. However, those predetermined queries and views often do not take advantage of the structure of the data stored within the database.
Potential database and digital library users in many industries and educational establishments desire avoiding computer interfaces for their applications, such as viewing rough video cuts and video production dailies as well as still images from graphics and art departments. To facilitate this access, yet modernize their applications to allow digital storage and distribution, users untrained in the computer arts need methods to access information different from conventional computer interface methods.
The simplest, most commonly accepted interface outside of the computer industry is that of a television with a remote controller, with the remote controller capable of entering numeric data, numerically selecting from simple menus, and simple navigational controls. If properly integrated and supported within a database, either (relational or hierarchial), or a digital library system, a VCR-like menu interface can provide sufficient function to implement most of the object search, selection, and viewing applications required by this user subset.
A product called “WEB TV” has been introduced which employs a set top box (STB) and a remote controller to control a conventional television set to display so called “web pages” of Internet “World Wide Web” (WWW) sites. The STB provides an interface to the WWW and controls the television set to display web pages and control menus. The STB also responds to commands received from the remote control in order to navigate the WWW. Typically the remote controller transmits an infrared (IR) signal to the STB. However, the WEB TV system provides only a limited function of navigating the WWW, and does not provide access to other information that may be stored in databases or digital library systems not accessible by the WWW.